Mr. Beast's ViewStats Pro, TikTok Studio Creator Tools Suite, YouTube Launches Playable

ViewStats Goes Pro: MrBeast Announces Analytics Platform Upgrade

Jimmy Donaldson aka MrBeast, Co-Founder of ViewStats, recently announced a new pro tier of the analytics platform. Donaldson launched ViewStats in 2023 alongside Co-Founder Chucky Appleby to showcase key YouTube insights in a user-friendly layout to support better decision-making for creators. During a discussion with Jon Youshaei , former YouTube executive and creator economy expert, Donaldson shared how ViewStats took more than six years to develop and that five select features from this period would be available on the newly-released pro version.

Users who opt into ViewStats Pro will have access to exclusive features focusing on YouTube Thumbnails, a factor that Donaldson has emphasized for building engagement and developing his internal channel tools. Pro Users may utilize the Outliers tool to analyze top-performing content, Thumbnail Research for identifying popular thumbnails, access to “every A/B thumbnail test ran on YouTube,” special Alerts on new content that aligns with your niche, and Collections of ViewStats Pro video content.

Creators interested in these exclusive analytics tools may upgrade to ViewStats Pro for $49.99 per month. Donaldson noted that the subscription price was “as cheap as possible” while aiding the company in recovering from initial losses during the development phase. For a more in-depth look at ViewStats Pro, check out the upgraded version’s homepage here.

TikTok Studio: TikTok’s New Collection of Free Creator Tools

It’s time for creators to take their creativity to the next level with TikTok Studio, TikTok’s new and improved comprehensive creation and management platform. TikTok Studio acts as the replacement for in-app Creator tools as well as the Creator Center Beta web app. In a recent blog post, TikTok detailed how the new platform offers deeper engagement insights for creators, identifies opportunities for creator growth and monetization, and offers direct access to the Creator Academy.

TikTok Studio currently segments Analytics tools into three separate pages: Key Metrics, Content, and Followers. With Key Metrics, creators can take a quick glance at overall engagement and unique viewers for custom time periods with data available for download. The Content page showcases analytics for recent posts from the past seven days and trending videos on creators’ accounts. Creators can check out the Followers page for key insights on follower demographics, location, and activity.?

Most notably, the Creator Inspirations tool allows creators to identify trending content across various topics and regions for inspiration. TikTok Studio also recommends similar content to creators’ accounts, content viewed by followers, and content from similar creators to support strategic content planning. Moreover, creators can also check out their rewards analytics, active monetization programs, and top-earning creator spotlights similar to their niche on the TikTok Studio Monetization hub.

To get started with TikTok Studio, users must be 18 years or older. Creators may access the platform in-app or online at https://www.tiktok.com/tiktokstudio. The TikTok Studio beta app is available for Android users in select regions with expansion to the Apple Store set for the coming weeks.?

Instagram Shares That 90-Second Clips May Hurt Distribution

In a recent explainer video on the @Creators account, Instagram shared more information on how long-form videos may be shared on the platform. Instagram Influencer Christie X shared a video on the Instagram @Creators account showcasing step-by-step how to upload vertical videos longer than 90 seconds. Instead of cutting the video or selecting only 90 seconds for Reels, creators can upload their entire 90+ second clip in the Post tab.

Although Instagram now promotes longer content, the platform previously shared that such content may negatively impact distribution. A slide captured at a past Instagram creator event detailed how Reels over 90 sections may hurt distribution. Other factors hurting distribution include engagement bait, videos with third-party watermarks, low-quality videos, and content reposted from other creators. Instagram disclosed in the caption of the @Creators video tutorial that, “any video over 90 seconds won’t be eligible to be recommended in Explore or Reels Tab.”?

Many creator economy specialists have begun to speculate why longer Reels wouldn’t be recommended to users. Social Media Today journalist Andrew Hutchinson noted in a related article that, “Instagram’s research has shown that users only want short clips in these listings, so adding longer content impacts overall engagement.” Although Instagram has vocalized how longer content hurts distribution, the platform continues to develop and text long-form content tools such as 3 and 10-minute videos. Does Instagram pose the opportunity to be the next platform for longer vertical videos? Should Instagram recommend longer videos to users? Let us know your thoughts down below.?

Get Your Game On with YouTube Playables

It’s official, Playables are now available on YouTube! In recent months, YouTube has been testing Playables with a select group of users, gathering valuable feedback to enhance the new feature. Playables is now home to over 75 fun and unique games for users to enjoy between streaming content with friends.?

Some noteworthy Playables include Angry Birds Showdown, Words of Wonders, Cut the Rope, Tomb of the Mask, and Trivia Crack. First-time players looking to try Playables may select from the Popular games highlighted on the Playables Home tab. Users may access the Playables Browse tab for full access to the entire suite of games. YouTube noted in its announcement that users will have the opportunity to save their game process and track their all-time best scores with Playables. This way, you can enjoy your favorite content and transition back to mobile gaming in no time.

The Playables gaming hub is now available on the YouTube mobile app for both Apple and Android users, as well as on the YouTube homepage for desktop users. Users can easily access Playables through the Explore tab on YouTube. YouTube hasn’t officially released the new feature for all users, but the platform advises users to check back regularly to see if they have access during the coming months.